Was it the white Mercedes or the black Pontiac traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-95 that caused the multiple car accidents? Florida Highway Patrol is not saying and the investigation may lasts several days, or maybe even a few weeks.
All that is known for certain is that the two vehicles were in a head-on crash at about 5:00 am this morning. The driver of the Mercedes, a 54 year-old man from Quebec, and the two passengers in the backseat, a 79 year-old from Quebec and an 83 year-old man from Boca Raton, were killed instantly. The third victim was a 69 year-old woman who was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
The 25 year-old driver of the Pontiac survived the collision and was doing better than expected and should survive the accident.
There were other accidents related to the vehicle going the wrong way, but not directly involved in the head-on collision. A Delray Beach office saw the vehicle going in the wrong direction and pursued it – headed south in the emergency northbound lane with lights flashing and sirens on, trying to stop the vehicle. The police officer’s car was struck by a white Chevy with four male passengers, stopping the police officer in his pursuit of the wrong-way driver. Everyone in this car crash sustained on minor injuries.
Another vehicle, a Honda rental car driven by a New Jersey couple, swerved from the center lane trying to avoid the original Mercedes/Pontiac crash and was struck by a blue Hyundai. All three victims in this accident walked away without any serious injuries.
The Delray Beach officer was commended by FHP for trying to stop the car headed south in the northbound lane. Lt. Tim Frith was reported as saying,
To pursue a vehicle that’s obviously driving in the wrong direction was certainly heroic, an act of bravery on his part. He was in the
emergency lane flashing his lights, trying to alert other motorists as this vehicle was approaching, too. It certainly was a dangerous situation.